Collapsible package.



J. F. CRAVEN.

COLLAPSIBLE PACKAGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13. 1913.

1,234,634. Patented July 24,1917.

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WlTNESSES INVENTOR W WWI JAMES F. CRAVEN, OF GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

' OOLLAPSIBLE PACKAGE.

' Specification Letters Patent. Patented July 24, 191?.

Application filed December 18, 1913. SerialNo. 806,597..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, James F. CRAVEN, a resident of Grafton, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Im rovement in Collapsible Packages, of whic the follow-' ing isa specificatlon.

This invention relates to collapsible or folding packages or cartons,suchas are used for mailing, shipping and storing puroses.

The object of the invention is to produce a simple, strong and durablepackage which can be made at low cost, which is light in weight, andwhich can be readily assembled and filled, or opened without the use ofspecial tools or implements, and therefore is especially adapted forparcel post use. A further object of the invention is to provide acollapsible package whereby substances may be put up in substantiallysealed condition, thereby rotecting them from contamination, but w ichpermits ready inspection of the contents without destroying ormutilating the package, thereby enabling it to be again closed afterinspection of the contents. The invention comprises theconstruction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the drawings,Fi e 1 represents a longitudinal sectional view, illustrating one formof package embodying the invention,

and indicating in dotted lines the method of inserting a sealing member;Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to that of Fig. 1, showing one form of sealing member; Fig. 4 isa similar view showing a modified form of sealing member; Fig. 5 is aplan view of the sealing member itself Fig. 6 is a detail view of aportion 0 blank; and Fi 7 is a plan view of ablank for forming t e endcap or head of the packa The shape of the package may vary in accordancewith special uses, and it has been shown square in the drawings forconvenience, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to thisshape. Referring to Fig. 1, the ackage comprises a body member 1, whicis preferably formed of paper, paperboard or other, suitable material.Said body is formed from a suitable blank 2, provided with the severalcreased lines of fold 3, and

rality of end flaps 5. The ends of the b ank the body forming notched atintervals, as at 4, to form a lube may be brought together and securedby a pasted strip to form a hollow rectangular shell, as will be readilyunderstood. This shell, so assembled, may be folded up flat whenshipping or storing the packages or cartons in knock-down condition.

The body member may be provided at each end with an inner shoulder 7,.facing outwardly, which may be formed by a part of the body member 1itself, that is, by reducing the. thickness of the end portions thereofas in Fig. 4, or by a separate member 8 slightly shorter than the bodymember and which is placed within the .same, as shown in Fig. 1. Saidinner member, when separate, 1s formed from a folded blank in the samemanner as the body member. It need not be made of as heavy material asthe body, as its main function is to keep the end-caps or heads fromfalling inwardly.

Each end of the carton is closed by an end cap or head 9, preferablyformed of the same material as the body, and which is made from a blank10, shown in Fig. 7

provided with the lines of fold 11, and

around the rim orflange of the cap, each end flap 5 being preferablycreased, in order that it may be readily folded without breaking orcraclcin In the form folded flaps of the body are locked in place by akeeper member 20, formed of stiff paper, cardboard or like material andprovided with two or more tongues 21 adapted -to be sprung into! notches22 in two oppositely disposed flaps of the body, the keeper being movedfrom ,the position shown in dotted lines to that shown in. full lines inFig. 1. The othertwo end flaps are not notched, and project down pastthe side edges of the keeper member 20 into contact with the end cap orhead. They are thereforealso locked inplace by the keeper memr. In Fig.1 the tongues'on the keeper extend sli'own in Figs. 1, and 3 thedesired, however, the folded side portions 12 of the end caps may alsobe provided with openings 23, the tongues on the keeper being made longenough to project clear through the folded portions of both the body andend cap, as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which the keeper member is continuouswith one of the four folded end portions of the body. Said keepermember, shown at 20*, is provided at its free end with a tongue 22 whichis sprung into a notch in the oppositely disposed folded portion of thebody.

In most forms of the invention the end cap or head is secureddirectly tothe body and will not fall inward, and for this reason the inner member8 may usually be omitted. With all formsof the invention the carton maybe readily opened by unfastening the securing means or lifting out theretaining member and then pulling out the folded end flaps of the body.This enables the end cap or head to be removed for inspection of thecontents of the receptacle. After inspection the package may be closedand restored to its original condition without special tools.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible receptacle, comprising a body member open at both endsand folded along longitudinal lines of fold, a closure for the open endof said body member, said closure having a flange extending toward theopen end of the receptacle, the end portions of the side walls of thebody member being folded over said flange, and a keeper member lyingflat against the outer surface of the closure'and' provided with atongue entering an, opening in the folded portion of the body. 2. Acollapsible receptacle, comprising a body member open at both ends andfolded along longitudinal lines of fold, a closure for the open end ofsaid body member, said closure having a flange extending toward the openend of the receptacle, the end portions of the side walls of the bodymember being folded over said flange, and a keeper member lying flatagainst the outer surface of the closure and provided with atongueprojecting from one edge thereof and entering alined openings in thefolded portion of the body and the flange of the closure.

3. A collapsible receptacle, comprising a body member open at both endsand folded along longitudinal lines of fold, a closure for the open endof said body member, said closure having a flange extending toward theopen end of the receptacle, the end portions of the side walls of thebody member being folded oversaid flange, and a keeper member lying flatagainst the outer surface of the closure and at its edges abutting thefolded portions of the body and provided on two opposite edges withtongues entering alined openings in the folded portion of the body andflange of the end cap or head.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES F. CRAVEN. Witnesses:

ELBERT L. HYDE, WILLIAM B. WHARTON.

